Relationship dossier
Burkina Faso
Mali
Relationship assessment
Burkina Faso and Mali have developed a close security and political partnership through the Alliance of Sahel States.
Burkina Faso toward Mali
+70Burkina Faso joined Mali in establishing the Alliance of Sahel States and signed its mutual-defense charter, committing the two governments to cooperate on security and defense. Burkina Faso also coordinated with Mali in withdrawing from ECOWAS and establishing the AES confederation.
Mali toward Burkina Faso
+70Mali joined Burkina Faso in establishing the Alliance of Sahel States and signed its mutual-defense charter, committing the two governments to cooperate on security and defense. Mali also coordinated with Burkina Faso in withdrawing from ECOWAS and establishing the AES confederation.
Overall relationship
+70The relationship is anchored in a shared political and security framework: the Alliance of Sahel States, its mutual-defense commitments, and the 2024 confederation. Coordinated withdrawal from ECOWAS further reflects alignment between the governments. The scope and durability of practical cooperation remain uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Burkina Faso and Mali have built a close political and security partnership under military-led governments. Their governments joined the Alliance of Sahel States, signed a mutual-defense charter, and later established an AES confederation. They have also coordinated their withdrawal from ECOWAS. The partnership is substantial, though the depth and implementation of bilateral security cooperation remain unclear.
Key developments
Burkina Faso and Mali signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter with Niger, creating the Alliance of Sahel States and a mutual-defense framework.
The governments of Burkina Faso and Mali, alongside Niger, signed a treaty establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States.
Burkina Faso and Mali jointly announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS, alongside Niger.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and practical implementation of joint security operations are unclear.
- The durability of the Alliance of Sahel States' institutions and commitments is uncertain.